The Lyttelton Times, Wednesday, June 15th.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 586, 16 June 1858, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times, Wednesday, June 15th.

By the last mail we have not received much news calculated to throw light upon the subject of immigration-during- the ensuing- year. Mr. Fitz Gerald has arrived in Eng-land, and is exerting himself energetically to put matters in train. By the next mail we shall probably learn with more accuracy the position in which he finds himself. The Maori, according to arrangements made by Mr. Selfe before his arrival, was to leave England for Lyttelton with immigrants on the 23rd of March;—and Mr. Fitz Gerald was in treaty for the charter of the Zelandia to sail with about 250 immigrants on the Ist of June, if not earlier. For some time, however, after his arrival, Mr. Fitz Gerald will, we fear, be somewhat cramped in his transactions by pecuniary difficulties, —owing to delay in the arrival of the debentures which had to be sent back from Sydney to be signed here, and forwarded again to London. We have learned that since they were finally despatched from Lyttelton great delay has occurred from the unwarrantable carelessness of the master of the vessel to whom they had been entrusted. Nothing can be done in the London market towards raising the loan until they arrive. The Union Bank appears to be doubtful as to whether the terms of the Loan Ordinance will be acceptable in the London market j and it is uncertain whether it will advance money before the loan is effected, as Mr. Fitz Gerald was led to expect by the Bank authorities at Sydney.

It is fortunate under these circumstances that he had a credit for £4000 to draw against on his arrival. This sum, however, will not carry him far; but we have reason to hope that ere this he will have drawn upon the Provincial Treasury for means to enable him to send us the labor which is wanted so much here. We are authorised to state that the Provincial Government will at once send home money to secure the- continuance of immigration should any prolonged difficulty be found in negotiating the debentures. In the case of communication with our immigration agent in England, the province feels sorely the wretched state of our postal arrangements. New Zealand can scarcely be said to derive any benefit from the steam communication between England and Australia, owing to the extreme delay in connecting New Zealand and Australia by steam. Difficulties, that might be obviated by means of more speedy and certain intelligence, become greater every week that a mail is detained. Letters are received here "at uncertain intervals, and correspondents from the colony have no means whatever of knowing whether their letters are likely to catch any particular mail from Sydney or Melbourne. It is satisfactory, however, to learn that Mr. Sewell is likely^to succeed in his indefatigable efforts to obtain for us a good steam communication with Australia and between the different provinces of New Zealand.